Aino A. at Jyväskylä City Theatre

Jyväskylä City Theatre opens its autumn 2026 season on the main stage with Aino A., which premieres on 26 September. The work tells the story of a trained architect and a woman alongside a genius: a person with a strong voice and distinctive work whose contribution was partly overlooked in her own time. The play covers the quarter-century Aino and Alvar Aalto spent together (1924–1949), with the Aaltos portrayed by actor couple Elina Saarela and Miika Laakso. The opening production has attracted additional interest through discussion around it in advance, including critical voices. The work honours the Aaltos’ legacy while making use of theatrical techniques and the freedoms of storytelling. Like any stage or film interpretation based on history, this play is not a documentary. In addition to the Aaltos, the play also features other notable figures of the era who influenced the emergence of Finnish design. Passion, conflicts and money worries, but also light, joy and creative madness, were all part of Aino and Alvar’s story. The stage presents a visually elegant and beautiful whole that honours the spirit of Artek’s early years and the era. Aino A. is adapted from Jari Järvelä’s novel and scripted by Kati Kaartinen. It is directed by theatre director Marietta Kunnas, who grew up surrounded by Aalto architecture. The Keski-Suomi Regional Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation supported the composition of the play’s music.

Preview: 25 September. Premiere: 26 September at 15:00.

Script: Jari Järvelä – Kati Kaartinen
Direction: Marietta Kunnas
Set design: Annina Nevantaus
Costume design: Anna Sinkkonen (guest)
Lighting design: Japo Granlund
Video design: Jaakko Sirainen (guest)
Composition and sound design: Juuso Voltti (guest)
Make-up design: Niina Vattulainen

Cast: Paavo Honkimäki, Anneli Karppinen, Miika Laakso, Hannu Lintukoski, Piia Mannisenmäki, Saara Mänttäri, Jussi-Petteri Peräinen, Elina Saarela, Asko Vaarala, Annika Junno (guest, Theatre Academy Helsinki)

The play’s rights are administered by Näytelmäkulma – Nordic Drama Corner Oy.